I remember how the room seemed to tilt. How Byron steadied me, his hand firm on my shoulder.
"You have no other family," he said. "I was your father's associate. I'll take care of you now." And he was right. My mother died when I was a baby. She got hit by a car. I had no other relative. It was just me and my dad.
Within hours, Byron had packed my things and brought me to his mansion. Everything happened so fast—there was no time to process, no time to truly grieve. Just empty reassurances that justice would come someday.
Twelve years of training, education, and preparation for this moment—marrying my father's killer. Well, I didn't know that I was going to marry him, but that little changes.
I wipe away tears I didn't realize I'd shed. The weight of Byron's expectations crushes down on me. This isn't just about vengeance anymore. It's about honoring Dad's memory, completing the mission that consumed my entire youth.
I'll finish this.
No matter what it costs me, I'll make him pay for taking you away.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Igrip the steering wheel, watching the road ahead as we make our way to Byron's house. Zoe sits beside me, quiet for most of the drive. The silence between us isn't uncomfortable—more like the calm before a storm.
"Lucrezia told me about Nick," she says suddenly, breaking the silence.
My jaw tightens at the mention of that name. "Did she?"
"She seemed pretty upset about how you handled it." Zoe turns to face me, those green eyes studying my reaction. "She said you threatened to break his fingers."
"I did morethan threaten."
Her eyebrows shoot up. "So you admit it? You scared off some college kid because your sister liked him?"
I let out a laugh that holds no humor. "Is that what she told you? That Nick was just some innocent student?"
"Wasn't he?"
I take a corner harder than necessary, letting the Aston's engine growl. "Nick Harmon was hired by the Volkovs to get close to my sister."
"What?"
"The Russian family has been trying to get information on our operations for years." I glance at her, gauging her reaction. "Their newest strategy was using a clean-cut college boy to romance my sister."
Zoe looks skeptical. "How can you be sure? Maybe you're just overprotective."
"Because I had him followed for two weeks before I confronted him." My knuckles whiten on the wheel. "He met with one of their men three times at the time she was talking to him."
"Jesus," Zoe whispers.
"So yes, I threatened to break his fingers. One by one. Then both his hands. Then his legs." The memory of that night burns cold in my gut. "If Enzo hadn't been there, I might have done all of it."
"Did you tell Lucrezia?"
I shake my head. "What good would it do? She'd be devastated to know someone used her that way. Better she thinks I'm just an overprotective asshole."
"But she's heartbroken."
"Better heartbroken than dead." The words come out sharper than I intend. "The Volkovs don't play games. If they got what they wanted from Nick, she'd have become a liability."
Zoe falls silent, processing this information.
"So you see," I continue, keeping my eyes on the road, "there are things in this world that even Sun Tzu couldn't prepare you for. Sometimes experience is the only teacher worth a damn."
I pull into Byron's driveway, cutting the engine as we arrive. Neither of us moves to get out.
